Malaysians argue steep stairs, poor design and inconvenient crossings push pedestrians to risk dangerous shortcuts instead.
PEDESTRIAN bridges are designed to help people cross busy roads more safely, particularly near schools and other high-traffic areas. However, many pedestrians continue to avoid using them altogether.
Recent accidents and viral videos involving people crossing roads directly have only intensified the discussion.
The debate gained traction on Threads after user @shaikraimei bluntly questioned why schoolchildren still ignored pedestrian bridges despite safer crossings being provided nearby.
“A question that’s always on my mind — why do people refuse to use pedestrian bridges when they’re provided?” he wrote, before asking who should be blamed if accidents involving students occur under such circumstances.
He also raised a more uncomfortable point, questioning whether most people criticising students would realistically choose to use the pedestrian bridge themselves if faced with the same daily situation.
The post quickly divided opinion online, with many Malaysians admitting that pedestrian bridges are often viewed as inconvenient.
User @nazharanziq argued that pedestrian bridges were built more to keep traffic flowing smoothly than to genuinely prioritise pedestrians.
According to the user, zebra crossings at road level are often more practical near schools where large groups of students cross daily.
The user added that climbing multiple flights of stairs every day, especially while carrying heavy school bags, naturally pushes people towards quicker and more direct routes.
User @hatifiazim1 similarly argued that most people, regardless of age, would likely avoid climbing steep pedestrian bridges whenever a faster crossing option existed nearby.
Several commenters pointed to physical barriers as the real reason some pedestrian bridges succeed while others fail.
User @adbzain_ suggested installing metal barriers along road dividers to prevent direct crossings, while users @_kyomiiieee and @aimieamieraa shared examples of schools where fences forced students to use pedestrian bridges instead of crossing roads freely.
Meanwhile, user @abdhadi1987 described pedestrian bridges as more of a burden than a convenience, arguing that they are physically exhausting for many users, especially elderly people or those with knee problems. The user went as far as describing pedestrian bridges as outdated infrastructure.
